HISTORY AND MISSION OF G&OS

Green & Open Somerville grew out of brainstorming sessions with residents who were worried about the state of Somerville's green spaces. After a few meetings, it became apparent that there were some common themes: we did not have enough green spaces, and those we did have were often in poor shape. So, in 2014, Renée and Tori decided that it was time to change that!

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Our advocacy over the years has included fighting the installation of artificial turf on grass athletic fields; lobbying for significantly stronger sustainability language in Union Square Overlay District zoning and the Citywide zoning overhaul; getting a native plant ordinance passed that is the first in the country that requires a minimum amount of native species be used on city property; bringing awareness to the sad state of our tree canopy, especially in neighborhoods already dealing with the harsh impacts of McGrath Highway and I 93 running through them; and organizing community events to plant native species gardens, weed invasive plants, and put in planter gardens in highly paved areas.

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Over the years, our mission evolved from a general goal to increase green space and improve the green space we have, to a focus on ensuring that Somerville's green space is ecologically sound, supporting the ecosystem that supports us, and educating as many people as possible about how critical a healthy ecosystem is in our ability to survive climate change.